"Sabbath", statuette by Joseph Mendes Da-Costa. Holland, ca. 1900.
Grès ceramic, glazed. Signed with initials.
A statuette in the shape of a woman with closed eyes wearing a dress with a floral pattern, a blue apron and a scarf on her head. Da-Costa emphasizes in his work the various textures of textiles through different kinds of glazing, various colors and engraved patterns.
This statuette belongs to a group of statuettes created by Da-Costa around the year 1900. During this period, influenced by Japanese art, Da-Costa was interested in daily topics and depicted the figures that surrounded him in his neighborhood – the Jewish quarter in Amsterdam. The titles of the statuettes in Yiddish and in Dutch prove his attempt to create under the inspiration of his immediate surroundings: "Pupils", "Sweethearts", "Sabbath" etc.
Joseph Mendes Da-Costa (1863-1939), sculptor and designer from Amsterdam, whose family was a descendant of the Portuguese Jews; lived in the Jewish quarter. Da-Costa was known for the animal statuettes which he created through the second half of the 19th century. He studied in different art schools and in the Rijksschool voor Kunstnijverheid (school of applied arts) in the Rijksmuseum. Like other artists of his generation, Da-Costa was exposed to Egyptian and Assyrian art which is well reflected in his artistic style. Da-Costa was a prominent artist in Holland but was not well known outside of it. After WW II, only a few of his works remained, and they are kept in museum collections.
Height: 21.5 cm. Good condition.